Is Climate Change Fuelling Forest Fires in the Seven Sisters of Northeast India?

Is Climate Change Fuelling Forest Fires in the Seven Sisters of Northeast India?

KAKALI DAS

The seven north-eastern states of India, often referred to as the Seven Sisters, form one of the richest regions of biodiversity in the world. They include Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, and sometimes Sikkim is also included when the region is discussed in a broader sense.

These states are home to vast forests, rare wildlife, rich tribal cultures, and many unique ecosystems. The forests of this region are not only ecologically important but they also play a crucial role in regulating water cycles, acting as carbon sinks, and supporting the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on them for food, fuel, medicine, and cultural life.

These forests are also what make this region particularly vulnerable, especially in the face of extreme weather and shifting climatic patterns. Forest fires have always been known here, particularly during the dry season from January to April, when rainfall is low and vegetation becomes dry and highly flammable. Naturally, this is a time when fires have a greater chance of starting and spreading.

But what we are seeing now is not just the normal seasonal fire; the frequency and intensity of the fires are increasing, and they are happening in areas that are difficult to access and manage. This has pushed state authorities to seek help from the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army to bring these fires under control.

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One of the most significant fires in recent weeks broke out in the forests of Lohit Valley in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district, at elevations of nearly 9,500 feet above sea level, along the steep ridges of the eastern Himalayas. The terrain is exceptionally steep, remote, and rugged, making it very difficult for ground crews to reach and fight the fire on foot.

As the blaze spread across inaccessible mountain slopes, local officials quickly realized that traditional firefighting methods would not be enough. The state government requested help from the Indian Air Force.

In response, Mi-17V5 helicopters of the Indian Air Force were deployed to conduct aerial firefighting operations. At such high altitudes, the air is thin, making flying and water-dropping missions technically challenging. Despite these difficulties, the helicopters successfully dropped more than 12,000 litres of water on the flames, flying over narrow ridgelines where ground teams could not reach. This aerial effort was conducted in coordination with the Indian Army and state forest officials. The combined action helped to contain the blaze, protect nearby villages, and prevent loss of life and property.

At the same time, another widespread fire occurred in the Dzukou Valley, a high-altitude grassland and forest area that lies on the border of Nagaland and Manipur. This valley is known for its rich biodiversity and unique wildflower meadows. Fires here are also hard to control because of the landscape and the thin, dry vegetation during winter months, which can act like a tinderbox.

Reports from recent seasons show that Nagaland registered over a hundred wildfires in just under three months, highlighting how common and persistent forest fires have become in the region.

These fires illustrate a larger reality: forest fires in the Northeast are no longer simple seasonal events. They are increasingly connected to changes in climate patterns. As temperatures rise and rainfall becomes more unpredictable, the dry seasons have extended longer than before. This means that the soil and vegetation lose moisture and remain dry for longer periods, creating conditions where even a small spark can trigger an extensive fire.

Scientists explain that when winter rainfall becomes insufficient, moisture levels in plants and soil plummet, creating what some call a “tinderbox effect”, a landscape so dry that the energy needed to start a fire becomes very low and the fire can spread rapidly.

Climate change does not directly cause each forest fire, but it creates conditions that make fires much more likely and far more severe. Hotter temperatures and irregular rainfall reduce moisture in forests, which makes vegetation more vulnerable to ignition. This increased vulnerability is now multiplied by human activities in the forests, such as traditional agricultural burning, accidental fires, and other forms of land use that can unintentionally spark blazes.

In many north-eastern states, practices like shifting cultivation (locally known as jhum) involve controlled burning, but without careful monitoring, these controlled burns can get out of control and spread into larger wildfires.

The Northeast’s forests are also characterized by abundant bamboo and dry grasses, both of which are highly flammable when dry. Combined with steep slopes and strong winds common in the region’s hilly terrain, a small fire can quickly escalate into a major wildfire. These geographical and biological factors, when combined with climate change and human pressure, form a kind of “perfect storm” for forest fires in the region.

Because of this combination of ecological conditions and climate change, fighting fires in the Northeast has become more complex, and states often need help beyond their regular capacities. The involvement of the Indian Air Force and Army is not just about putting out specific fires at specific moments; it suggests that the region’s disaster response infrastructure is not yet fully prepared for the scale and intensity of these events.

There is limited road access, sparse firefighting infrastructure, and difficult terrain that make ground response slow and dangerous. In such situations, aerial firefighting and military support become essential for saving forests, wildlife, human life, and critical ecosystems.

This reliance on military support for disaster relief also brings into focus larger questions about disaster governance and planning in the Northeast. Forest departments in many states struggle with limited resources, and early warning systems for fire detection are not always strong or integrated effectively with response mechanisms.

While satellite detection and alert systems do exist, timely response on the ground is often hampered by lack of infrastructure and coordination. Strengthening early warning systems, investing in ground firefighting equipment, building watchtowers, expanding forest fire lines, and training local communities in fire prevention could help reduce dependency on military intervention.

The impacts of forest fires go far beyond charred trees. They have serious ecological consequences. When forests burn, they release large amounts of carbon dioxide and black carbon into the atmosphere. This contributes to the greenhouse effect and leads to further warming.

As forests lose their ability to store carbon, the cycle becomes more intense: more fires lead to more emissions, which contribute to more warming, which increases the likelihood of new fires. This feedback loop is especially dangerous in regions like the Northeast, where forests play a critical role in carbon storage, rainfall regulation, and biodiversity.

The destruction of forest habitat also threatens wildlife, many species of which are endemic to the region. Loss of vegetation increases soil erosion, reducing the land’s ability to hold water, which in turn makes areas more susceptible to landslides during the rainy season. Soil degradation can affect rivers and streams downstream, impacting the water sources that communities rely on for drinking and farming.

Human communities also face direct impacts. Many tribal and rural populations in the Northeast depend on forests for their livelihood. Fires can destroy crops, medicinal plants, and sources of food and fuel, threatening food security and income. Smoke from fires poses respiratory health risks, especially for the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing conditions. There is also the danger of increased human-wildlife conflict as animals driven out of burned forests may enter villages in search of food and water.

Given these realities, it is clear that the Northeast needs comprehensive disaster management planning that is linked to climate risk assessments. This means integrating forest fire management into state climate action plans, increasing community participation in fire prevention, and building local capacities to respond to fires before they become uncontrollable. It means preparing for longer dry seasons, investing in firefighting equipment, and engaging in landscape-level planning to protect critical ecological zones.

In the short term, satellite-based early warning systems should be strengthened to ensure that alerts reach forest officials and local communities promptly. Firefighting equipment and trained teams should be pre-positioned before fire seasons begin. Tourism in sensitive ecological zones should be managed carefully to prevent accidental ignition from campfires, cigarettes, or unattended cooking. In the long term, states must integrate forest fire risk management into broader climate adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerability and protect livelihoods.

The recent forest fires in Lohit Valley and the Dzukou Valley shows that the forests of the Seven Sisters are both treasures and vulnerabilities. They are critical for global biodiversity and local cultures, yet increasingly stressed by warming temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and human pressures. The involvement of the Indian Air Force and Army demonstrates the seriousness of the threat, and while their support is invaluable, it also points to the urgent need to build stronger local capacity for disaster response and climate resilience.

Only when disaster management systems, forest governance, community readiness, and climate adaptation strategies are strengthened together can the Seven Sisters region be protected effectively from the growing threat of forest fires and the larger challenges posed by climate change.

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